Description

The objective of this technique is to describe how using white space
characters, such as space, tab, line break, or carriage return, to format columns of
data in text content is a failure to use structure properly. Assistive
technologies will interpret content in the reading order of the current
language. Using white space characters to create multiple columns does not
provide the information in a natural reading order. Thus, the assistive
technology user will not be presented with the information in an
understandable manner.

Plain text is not suitable for displaying multiple columns of text. Modify
the content to present the data in a different layout. Alternatively, use a
technology that provides structural elements to represent columnar data.

Examples

Failure Example 1

The following example incorrectly uses white space characters to
format a paragraph into a two column format.

Example Code:

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines including blindness and low vision,
2.0 (WCAG 2.0) covers a wide range of deafness and hearing loss, learning
issues and recommendations for making difficulties, cognitive limitations, limited
Web content more accessible. This movement, speech difficulties, and
document contains principles, others. Following these guidelines will
guidelines, Success Criteria, benefits, also make your Web content more
and examples that define and explain accessible to the vast majority of users,
the requirements for making Web-based including older users. It will also enable
information and applications accessible. people to access Web content using
"Accessible" means usable to a wide many different devices - including a
range of people with disabilities, wide variety of assistive technologies.

If this table was to be interpreted and spoken by a screen reader it
would speak the following lines:

issues and recommendations for making difficulties, cognitive
limitations, limited

Web content more accessible. This movement, speech
difficulties, and

(additional lines eliminated for brevity)

If the text were reflowed, or changed from a fixed to a variable
font, or increased in size until lines no longer fit on the page,
similar interpretation issues would arise in the visual
presentation.

Resources

No resources available for this technique.

Related Techniques

(none currently listed)

Tests

Procedure

Examine the document for data or information presented in
columnar format.

Check whether the columns are created using white space
characters to lay out the information.

Expected Results

If step #2 is true, then this failure condition applies and the
content fails these Success Criteria.

Techniques are Informative

Techniques are informative—that means they are not required. The basis for determining conformance to WCAG 2.0 is the success criteria from the WCAG 2.0 standard—not the techniques. For important information about techniques, please see the Understanding Techniques for WCAG Success Criteria section of Understanding WCAG 2.0.